Bluffton, IN rainwater: 33,064 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Bluffton, IN collects
33,064gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Bluffton, IN's normal 41.6 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Bluffton, IN a single barrel does most of the work. Storms come often enough that a small tank refills before it runs dry, and a bigger one would mostly sit full.
Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, the Bluffton 0.9 Se station (1.1 mi away). Bluffton, IN ranks 51st wettest of the 88 cities covered in Indiana.
Month by month in Bluffton
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.75 | 2,186 | |
| Feb | 2.29 | 1,820 | |
| Mar | 2.84 | 2,257 | |
| Apr | 3.95 | 3,139 | 50 |
| May | 4.60 | 3,656 | |
| Jun | 4.76 | 3,783 | |
| Jul | 4.73 | 3,759 | |
| Aug | 3.83 | 3,044 | 65 |
| Sep | 3.18 | 2,527 | 146 |
| Oct | 2.93 | 2,329 | 177 |
| Nov | 3.15 | 2,504 | |
| Dec | 2.59 | 2,059 |
Jun is the wettest month (4.76 in, 3,783 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.29 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Barrel or cistern in Bluffton?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 355 gallons to the garden in a normal year (81.1% of its need).
Before you buy, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Bluffton's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 110 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 165 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 275 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 550 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 1,000 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 1,500 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 2,500 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
| 5,000 gal | 355 | 31,569 |
Simulated storm by storm through a normal year using the station's count of days with 0.1 in or more of rain each month.
Is rainwater collection legal in Indiana?
No statewide rainwater harvesting regulations; check county for local incentives
From the 2015 (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report 24347); not yet re-checked against current law, so check with your state water agency before building anything large. Source